


A day in our lives

by KenjiroS



Series: Everyday life [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Coach Oikawa, Cop Iwaizumi, Dessert & Sweets, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Living Together, M/M, pure fluff, they have a cat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-03-03 07:59:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13336842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KenjiroS/pseuds/KenjiroS
Summary: Just random bit and pieces of Oikawa and Iwaizumi's life together





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing fanfiction, so please, be kind. Pfff, who am I kidding, be was brutal as possible. I like criticism. Haven't tried to write smut yet, no idea how it will go if I try, so it kind of cuts in the middle (Sorry). Just let me know if you want to see more of this.
> 
> Oh, and, thank you so much for giving me a chance !

Iwaizumi Hajime was a man of habit. From his job with all of its big everyday challenges that somehow had still turned into a comfortable life, to the route he took home, he liked his routines. And, just as always, Saturday was a “take out” day. He knew his husband would be exhausted and not in the mood to cook dinner, so he stopped to pick a few thing on his way home. The lights in the windows were on, but appeared dimmed and he unlocked the door as quietly as possible. Balancing the take out bag and his wallet, he somehow managed to take off his shoes without falling on his face. Thank God for small miracles. Inside of the small, but cozy, house the TV was glowing silently, the volume turned all the way down, and all the other lights were off. And, just as expected, Tooru was curled on the couch in his home clothes, the loose shirt and pants riding up and showing off his toned body. Hajime sighed. The idiot was overworking himself, not caring about his health and always trying to help whichever kids team asked for advice. He’d been like this ever since school, when spending his weekends with his nephew’s team had been a regular occurrence. Now older, and an official coach, he still went to help to every child with passion for the sport in their eyes. 

Well, the food was going to have to last until tomorrow, at least, so he took out the plastic containers and put them in the fridge. Then, he poked Tooru lightly in the side. He might’ve been more muscular, but carrying someone taller than him through the narrow hallways was not his idea of fun. 

\- ‘re home, Hajime. – Tooru rubbed his eyes and squinted towards the clock hanging above the TV. – What’s the time ? Shit, I fell asleep…  
\- Shush. Come on, you’re going straight to bed. – He received a tired chuckle. – Not like that, you, idiot. You’re asleep on your feet. Let’s go. Otherwise you will sleep until too late tomorrow and I will have to listen to the whining about how much you need your beauty sleep. – That got him a mock glare, followed by a pout. It was cute, he had to admit it, but Tooru still was not going to their bedroom. – Don’t make me carry you. Because I totally will. – And now, a snort. Great. His husband was not taking him seriously. But he curled his lips in that pretty little smile that was just for Hajime and he felt his heart melt.

\- I’m going, I’m going. No need to be grumpy… - Tooru waved and headed for the bedroom. – If you keep complaining, you’ll get wrinkles before you’re thirty. And then people will wonder how someone so old managed to catch a young and pretty guy like me. – Hajime growled and Tooru giggled. 

Coming back from the bathroom, Hajime saw he had no reason to worry – Tooru was in his actual pajamas, already deeply asleep, soft quiet snores filling the warm silence of their home. He slid as carefully as possible under the covers and looked at his husband. The warm glow from the nightlight in the corner they always left on was painting his expressive face in gold and black, the shadows chasing his eyelashes as he dreamt. Having the privilege to see him like this, with his soft hair sticking everywhere and his rumpled checkered pajamas, was worth all the pretend mocking and banter they had shared for years before finally getting together in the end of their last year in high school. He might be the great Oikawa, with all his awards and the prestigious place in the national team he had left right after the team had reached third place in the world, deciding that coaching was more rewarding and retiring at the age of 25, but here and now he was Tooru, his childhood friend, with the shadows in his eyes that nobody saw, who pushed himself too hard and cared too much. This man, here and now, belonged to Hajime and nobody else. 

He reached and petted the soft skin of Tooru’s cheek. He was a lucky man, indeed.

Oikawa Tooru woke up with the sun on his face. Which was wrong on too many levels. He knew their window looked to the east but he usually remembered to pull the drapes so the glowy ball in the sky did not interrupt his sleep at…He rubbed his eyes. Six in the morning. Wait. Six in the morning ? He glanced to the other side of the bed. Hajime was buried in the pillows and cover so deeply, only his spiky black hair peeked from under the pile. How hadn’t he drowned with his habit of sleeping on his stomach and diving into fabric and stuffing, Tooru did not know. At the beginning, Tooru would poke him until he moved and went back to sleeping like a normal person, but after years of living together, he knew that’s how Hajime was. It was just as much a part of him as his protective nature that made him such a good policeman, as his growling that was never serious, all the way to his blight green eyes. All of him. He was about to turn to the other side and ignore the rude star currently making his Sunday morning extremely unpleasant, but then he realized that for the first time since forever he was awake before Hajime. So, he could at least try to do something for him. 

Tooru grimaced but got up, making sure to tuck his husband, so the cold would not wake him, and walked softly to the kitchen. Now, what did they have… He started the coffee and dug around their food pantry. He wanted to make it special so, Western style. Chopping vegetables and scrambling eggs was not his idea of a perfect morning but it was going to be worth it. He glanced at the clock again. Seven. Hajime was used to getting up before six, but when he had a day off, he never set an alarm and Tooru was not going to remind him about his “ habit”. Humming slightly while plating the eggs, toast, coffee and the pineapple juice he’d found in the fridge, he headed back to the bedroom. No matter what, Hajime would not let him forget it if he let him sleep too much. So he set the tray on the nightstand and opened the window to let some fresh air in. 

\- Ha-ji-meee ! Wake up, it’s almost ten ! – To say Hajime woke up would not be correct. He jumped straight up and looked wildly around. His eyes landed first on Tooru’s smirk, then on the full tray, and finally – on the radio clock that showed three minutes after seven. He blinked back at Tooru’s smug expression, once, twice ,and then, before he had a chance to react, Tooru was dragged down by the waist and thrown on his back on the rumpled bed. He couldn’t help it, he pouted. And, when he couldn’t hold the expression for more than a few seconds, he giggled. Hajime just narrowed his eyes. – Hajime, what…

He couldn’t say more as his lips were suddenly very, very busy. Sleep-warmed hands slid under his loose shirt and a knee rubbed between his legs. Later, he blamed it on the morning, but he was aroused in record time. Damn Hajime and his sleepy eyes, and his warm hands, and his wide muscular back and…ah, right there. He couldn’t help it, he moaned when he felt lips sliding down his neck. That hot mouth was on his ear a second later, teeth light nibbling on the lobe, while one hand was sliding up and down his chest and the other was dipping beneath the waistband of his pants. 

The breakfast had gotten cold and Hajime couldn’t find it in him to be mad. It was almost ten in the morning and he and Tooru were browsing through the channels, not watching anything in particular, and enjoying the soft cloudy silence of the Sunday morning. Days like these were a treasure and Hajime knew he had to treat them like such. He smiled lightly and blew on Tooru’s hair. The other man just wriggled a little and settled back on the floor between Hajime’s knees, leaning back and glancing up with that pretty little smile that was just for him. Life was good, ideed.


	2. Of pets and pastries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There are sweets and then, suddenly, a cat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming back. Hope you enjoy it.

In moments like this Tooru was grateful for modern technology. Finding the address of the tiny family-owned pastry shop would have been impossible otherwise, even if they did not live in the biggest city around. And finding the shortest way back to the house would have been worse than impossible. But it had been worth it. The colourful desserts, arranged like small and shiny pieces of art behind the glass, were catching the eye and refusing to let go until the owner of said eye agreed to take at least a few of them home. A long…something, generously covered in shiny red glaze was calling his name, the tag on the glass announcing the fancy piece was supposed to be an “éclair”. Tooru had seen many eclairs in his life and they hadn’t been even close to the masterpiece in front of him. Apparently, it was filled with vanilla custard and the red glaze was cherry. He smiled a little. Sold. Just in case, though… He looked around the shop and decided on some rainbow-coloured cookies with chocolate and nuts since Hajime’s taste when it came to sweets had always been one of Life’s greatest mysteries. But one could never get it wrong with chocolate chip cookies, so no matter what, the situation would be under control.

After paying, and receiving his sweets in a fancy red paper bag with black ribbons (seriously, what kind of place was that ?), Tooru placed his trust in his phone again and headed in the direction that was supposed to get him home in less than half an hour. That part of the city was definitely unfamiliar and the darkness had fallen early since it was November but he was not scared. The streets were lit and people were enjoying the crisp night air. He was in a great mood as today’s practice had gone better than expected. The teens he coached on Wednesdays were a mixed group of kids that, for different reasons, had never shown interest in joining volleyball clubs in their schools but their parents had decided they wanted the children to spend their time practicing something. It was still better than running on the streets, he guessed. The difference was that the teens liked volleyball but since they’d been forced by their parents, showing too much enthusiasm would ruin their street cred or something. Whatever they called it these days.

He was so deep in thoughts, he almost did not hear the pitiful sound. It reached through the thoughts flying in his head and he stopped, looking around and searching for the source. It took him almost a full minute since the flaps of the ripped cardboard box had flopped closed and the cat apparently had decided it was warmer that way. A pair of glowy eyes reflected the street lights for a second and then the animal shifted, giving Tooru a nice view of cream - coloured fur and one ripped ear. The box moved a little while the cat settled in it and then kept staring at Tooru, no, at his hand. The hand with the bag.

\- Hey, there, little one… - He hoped the cooing was soft enough. His words were a lie, he noticed as he got closer, the cat was definitely not little. He pulled one of the box’s flaps gingerly, squatting slightly to the side in case the animal decided to jump at his face, but nothing happened. He opened the box and it was just laying in that strange position cats loved, looking back at him. Definitely not a kitten, but far from an adult, too. It unfurled as slowly as he had opened the box and stretched a little to sniff at the pastry bag. – Oh, no, this one is not for you. Shhh, this is for Hajime, little kitty. 

Big green eyes stared up and Tooru felt himself lose any willpower he might have had only seconds ago. He reached with a fingertip and touched the cat between the ears, rubbing slightly at the dirty fur. It moved suddenly but before he managed to pull his hand back, it just sneezed. And ended up looking more confused than what Tooru imagined he appeared at that moment. The cutest little sound he had ever heard in his life sealed the deal. If it cooperated…

He reached again and the cat just followed the movement curiously. Putting the bag on the ground, he used both hands to lift the animal off the ground. No resistance. It was docile as a doll. He managed to get it halfway under his coat and on the crook of one elbow, and picked the bag with his other hand, slinging the handles on his wrist. Still no reaction. Then, suddenly, it moved. Only to pull one paw from his hand and lean it on his arm. Okay. They could do that. Hajime would not be happy, of course, they had a small fish tank a few house plants but nothing that required as much care as a cat, but he would not just toss a freezing kitty out on the street. 

Finding his way back proved to be much easier than he thought. Once he hit the main boulevard, he knew where he was supposed to be going. He got a few weird glances but did not let that bother him. The lights in the house were on which meant that it was one of the rare cases Hajime had managed to leave when his shift ended instead of staying ‘till the middle of the night writing reports. He pet the cat once more. Things were about to get interesting.

Hajime had just stretched on the couch and closed his eyes, when he heard the telling jingling of keys, a heavy thud, several muffled curses and, finally, the door opening. And more curses. That was strange. Tooru was usually calmer when he got home. Especially on Wednesdays, when he laughed about how the sulking teens pretended they did not care about sport but did more than their best every time. 

\- No, wait, come here. Come here, you little… - What ? Who was he talking to… The answer appeared in his field of view half a second later. He met an unblinking gaze and sighed. That was a bit too much, even for Tooru. Though why he was surprised, he did not know. His better half simply cared too much. The only surprise was it had taken him so long to bring a stray home. He kneeled carefully and the cat that had appeared cream in the darker doorway but apparently was white came to his outstretched hand easily enough. He scratched the animal a little, noticing the dirty fur and ripped ear, and sighed again. He guessed they were keeping it.

\- Hajime, did you see…Oh. The two of you met already. – Tooru was smiling, a soft, gentle smile, with his eyes shining and his whole face radiating happiness, an expression he usually did not show to anyone besides Hajime and his heart melted again. He could not refuse that smile and Tooru knew it. He just hoped it got along with the fish.

Tooru opened his eyes and glanced at the radio clock on the shelf across from him. 10 minutes before his alarm. Perfect. He slid carefully from the bed since he knew Hajime would be doing a night shift and had probably set his own alarm for somewhere around noon. He stretched a little, enjoying the pop of his spine and turned. And reached for his phone before even realizing it. Hajime, with his face deep in a pillow and only his hair poking out of the cover, was currently playing the role of a bed. Éclair, since even though she was white, both of them had thought her fur was cream like the sweet custard in the eclairs, was curled in a tight ball and was sleeping high on his husband’s back, right below his neck. Almost blending with the white sheets, she was breathing softly, but her whole body still moving with Hajime’s deep breaths. A whisker twitched and she felt back in a deep sleep. After saving the pictures and sending them to his own e-mail, just in case, he headed for the kitchen to start his day. On his way to the coffee maker he glanced at the decorated little bowls they’d found in a second hand shop and hadn’t found a place before. Smiling to himself, he carefully poured a little of the cat food he’d bought on his way home the night before that. The day was going to be great, he just knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, again, for reading. Kudos and comments are more than welcome - I need to know whether I am going in the right direction.


	3. Of matches and catfights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iwaizumi feels they day is too boring. Well, not for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, thank you, guys, for the kudos, and you, random citizen, for the bookmark !  
> Yay ! Hope you enjoy it !

It was going to be one of those days, Hajime thought, when nothing happened. Which was good, of course, since it meant their city was safe and all, but sometimes he wished for something small and innocent, maybe neighbours fighting over a bit of fence, to get him out of the station. It was noon and the only person they’d seen today was a girl who came to pick her wallet someone had found. Sure, it had been more than entertaining to watch her try and charm Ushijima, and get progressively more frustrated as he did not drop the extremely formal speech or loosen up his shoulders even a little. There was a betting pool going on how long before some decisive young lady or gentleman would come and sweep him of his feet. Hajime usually never took part in those betting pools but Tooru had shared with a laugh the other day that he’d seen the great stoic Ushijima pink faced while chatting with a cheerful redheaded florist. Or, as Tooru had described it, “Red just kept going on and on, and Mr Stoic just stood there, getting more and more flustered”. 

True, it was cheating, but his colleagues deserved it for betting on the poor guy’s love life. It was not his fault his character was a bit on the cold side. 

\- Long day ? – He turned. Daichi was leaning casually on his desk. His partner somehow had perfected the art of never appearing bored, even after dealing with the mountains of paperwork half of the station very carefully avoided. 

\- Nothing happening.

\- You know what they say - No news are the best news. And stuff. – Hajime laughed. Daichi’s habit to either butcher proverbs or to add something pointless in the end was one of the little pleasures in his career. They had become friends in the academy and had managed to move up together, getting promoted within weeks and ending up partners. Also, he had noticed, when they went out in their spare time, him with Tooru and Daichi with his boyfriend/childhood friend/team mate, they always attracted attention. Which reminded him…

\- Hey, when is Koushi on shift this week ? – Daichi’s better half worked in the biggest veterinary clinic in the city and was one of the most respected and, much to his partner’s entertainment, adored doctor there.

\- He’s covering the emergency night shifts this week. One of colleagues caught a nasty stomach bug and is under strict orders not to show up his face at work until he’s stable. It’s been three days already and Koushi has given explicit orders for the poor guy not to be allowed to work until at least next Monday.

\- He cares too much. – Daichi smirked. 

\- Yes, all the girls there think he’s a pure angel. – They laughed. Koushi was many things, but “pure” and “angel” were definitely not some of them. He was as sneaky as Tooru and had the same evil streak, simply managing to hide it better. – But, anyway, why would you need a vet ? Is something wrong with the fish ?

\- No. We…Don’t laugh, we have a cat. – Daichi’s jaw dropped but before he said anything, Ushijima walked in the office.

\- There’s been a disturbance in the big sport centre. A woman called, someone started fighting in the middle of a volleyball match.

\- We’re going. – Hajime did not have to say anything. He just grabbed is jacket and headed to the car. It took him a minute, after Daichi had managed to navigate somehow around the busy boulevards, to remember that there was going to be a game this week. He’d heard all about it. The problem teens were playing…

\- Shit ! – His partner threw him a concerned look. – Tooru’s there, his team is playing ! It was supposed to be friendly game, though, to see how the kids are doing as a team. Shit ! – The car went a little faster but the other man still managed to avoid anything close to an accident. A couple of minutes later he parked in front of the sport centre with a practiced move and they ran to the building. The shouting was echoing through the halls and there was nobody at the reception desk to meet them. 

Getting more and more alarmed, Hajime threw the door open and he and Daichi stopped to take the picture in. It was a teenagers’ volleyball match, all right. Only a few spectators here and there, Hajime counting eleven, a bunch of confused kids who were, at the moment, too stressed to pretend not to care, and in the middle… He opened his mouth to shout but no sound left his lips as a tall blonde woman chose that exact moment to slap Tooru, who was trying to separate her from another lady, in the face. The sound echoed and everyone froze. The sound was still running through the huge hall when one of the small kids started screaming. There was blood. The woman’s long, manicured nails had left deep red gashes on his husband’s cheek and one of them was starting to bleed. 

\- Calm down. We’re here and he’s fine. It’s just a scratch. – His shoulder was shaken and that got him out of the fog in his head. What happened later could only be described as “clean up”. He ran down the stairs and caught the woman’s wrist before she managed to land another hit, twisting her entire body at the same time. Managing narrowly to avoid a knee in a very delicate area, he barely caught her other wrist and slipped the cuffs on, the soft metallic click shutting her for a second. After she was safely cuffed and Daichi had dragged her outside, where they could still hear her spit out curses and threats, Hajime gently touched Tooru’s chin and turned his face a little. It looked bad. Three long red lines marring his flawless porcelain skin, the top one dripping blood over his fine coach uniform. The smile he received, though, was pure sunshine.

\- My hero. – And there it was, the soft, gentle smile than hit him in the stomach every single time since the first time he’d seen in when they’d been nothing more than kids. – Should’ve taken up those parents who wanted to record on their offer. You make quite the sight, Officer. – The smile changed and Tooru laughed. – I thought you were going to shoot her where she stood. 

\- You need stitches, idiot. And a tetanus shot. Who knows where her hands have been ? Come on, game’s over. I am taking you to the hospital.

\- Oh, the game has been over for a while now, officer. – Tooru giggled with an airy wave. – She was just pissed that they won cleanly and with lots of points without her son in there. She wanted to have words with the lady whose kid I put as a starter but I decided to intervene before things got out of hand.

\- And they did. Literally. Come on.

\- I can’t just leave, I need to tell them how well they… Hajime, don’t pull ! – When it was like this and his husband was in a chatty mood, the best action was to just ignore him. He’d just stand there and talk to the teens until his face rotted and fell off, he just knew it. So, moving him bodily and getting him in a taxi was, really, the only sensible option. – Hajime, I said… - He could hear whispers behind them, some more worried than others, but he could not think about that right now.

 

Tooru knew he was overreacting, but, in his defense, so was Hajime. Honestly, to literally drag him out of the sport centre just because of a little scratch… Though the ice pack did feel nice and his cheek was not throbbing anymore, so that was a good thing. The doctor had taken one look at him and Hajime, who was still in his sharp and shiny police uniform, and had done her best to cause him as little pain as possible. In the end, he hadn’t needed stitches but his face was covered in antibiotic cream and a bandage, with an ice pack just in case. And, after the shot, she’d given him a lollipop, which he, as a twenty-eight year old man, couldn’t refuse. Hajime had come, picked him up and taken him to the station to give statement. All his arguments that a spoiled rich woman being a helicopter parent was nothing new and did not deserve the taxpayers’ money fell on deaf years and he’d grumpily agreed to write everything down. Not that there was much to write. There had been screaming that had simply escalated into physical dispute. And he’d interfered before the fight could get ugly. Nothing mattered to Hajime, though, so Tooru was sitting at the station, waiting and going through his social media.

\- So, a cat, huh ? – He lifted his eyes from his phone. Daichi was smiling but that’s not what caught his eye. It was the ice pack, identical to the one he was holding, only the officer was pressing it to his left eye and not his cheek.

\- She decked you ? In the eye ? Damn, that woman could pack a punch. Think it’s all those heavy shopping bags ?

\- Tooru. Good job today. And I know the moment Iwaizumi stops fretting and running around like a headless chicken out of worry, he’d tell you the same.

Tooru could not help it, he laughed and Daichi laughed with him. Headless chicken, huh ?

Later, when they were both in bed, Hajime deep asleep in that strange way of his, where he just dropped on the mattress, pulled the covers and went out like a light, Tooru was petting Éclair, who was purring on his stomach. 

\- He was a real hero today, little one. Just charged straight up and locked than woman like something out of a film. Very gritty, the brooding detective to the rescue. Only time I wouldn't feel bad being the damsel in distress. And you could see his muscles in that uniform. – He giggled again. – Those bored housewives were drooling, I am telling you. I’ll be surprised if on the next practice I don’t get slammed with questions about him, his favourite colour and his phone number. Have to make sure to flash my ring a lot…- Tooru glanced at the other side of the bed. Born hero. He pushed Éclair on the covers and she looked at him curiously. After moving around a little, he settled down right next to Hajime. Who promptly exhaled, murmured something and threw a heavily muscled arm over Tooru’s waist, falling back into his deep sleep. Well, that was it, there’s be no more moving around that night. Tooru fell into the darkness with a smile on his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and criticisms are welcome !
> 
> Thank you for reading !


	4. Of baths and giggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caring for a cat is not only snuggles and purrs, and both Hajime and Tooru learn it the hard way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoy this little thing !

Tooru was not having the best day of his life. Sure, his face was healing well and the bruises had faded, but explaining to a pissed off banker that no, he definitely hadn’t flirted with his wife for half an hour was definitely not the epitome of a pleasant morning. As if that hadn’t been enough, the team’s manager had messed up again and they’d ended up with a big group of hungry children who had only been looking for a reason to complain. He felt like his head was about to explode. The only piece of good news had been Koushi calling him to let him know they could take Éclair on Saturday for her shots. So, that was one less problem to worry about.

He opened the door and the only thing that greeted him was silence. True, it was Hajime’s day off and he was probably asleep , but usually at least the TV would be giving off some background noise. He tiptoed through the hallway. The house felt…empty. Unnaturally empty. He glanced around, looking for an explanation, but the oppressive atmosphere was heavy and stiffing. What was wrong…?

His train of thought was interrupted by a loud crash and an even louder string of expletives. Hajime was swearing like never before and Tooru ran towards the sound, his bag and jacket forgotten on the floor. The picture that greeted him stopped him in his tracks. Hajime, wet and wearing only a pair of running shorts, was sitting in the bathtub. The shower curtain was on the floor. Three long thin gashes were bleeding profusely on his shoulder, starting from his collarbone and ending at the crook of his elbow. And, unless Tooru was mistaken, there was a black and blue mark just forming on his cheekbone. The whole scene was something out of a psycho thriller and Tooru felt his blood freeze. Someone had broken in, had surprised Hajime and now he was bleeding and bruised and hurting and…

\- What…? Hajime, are you okay ? What happened ? – The look he got as a response made him pause. His husband appeared…resigned. – Hajime ? 

His husband just sighed deeply and lifted his eyes. At first Tooru thought he was looking at him but no, he was staring at the little shelves they had on the wall. Tooru turned slowly and his eyes met an even stranger sight. Éclair was sitting on the top shelf, her slightly wet fur up like a hedgehog and her tail as ruffled as a fox’s. The pieces started coming together and he couldn’t help it – he laughed. No, not laughed, he felt his throat close from the giggles. Heavily leaning on the counter, he tried to breathe through the choking. Tears were falling down his face and he couldn’t care less. He tried to dig out his phone from his pocket when a large hand clasped around his wrist and pulled him to the tub. He couldn’t find it in him to resist as breathing was still difficult and he couldn’t see a thing. His giggles turned into a rather unmanly scream, though, since Hajime chose that moment to tug him sharply into the tub and he found out there was, in fact, water in there.

\- What are you laughing at, idiot ? She scratched me. – Tooru was still trying to halt his giggles but it just wasn’t working.

\- Oh, no, the poor little policeman viciously attacked by a huge wild beast. Truly, a terrible tragedy. – He wiped his face with his sleeve. The uniform was already wet so there was no point in trying to preserve it. – Seriously, what were you hoping to achieve ? She’s a cat, it’s in her nature to hate water. You know it.

Hajime just looked at him, sitting there between his knees with his ruined tracksuit, and reached slowly pulling his zipper down. Tooru’s giggles caught in his throat and he felt heat rise in his cheeks. That’s not what he had in mind when he’d allowed himself to be pulled in the tub, but if Hajime insisted… His light jacket dropped in the water but he couldn’t spare a thought about it as his husband leaned closer, warm breath sliding along his ear, and mouthed slightly at the flesh.

\- Now that we’re both wet… - He swallowed heavily. – You can wash her and I will hold the camera.

Wait, what ? Before Tooru managed to utter a sound, Hajime was up and carefully stepping around the puddles on the tiles.

\- What are you waiting for ? We’ll be taking her to the hospital and she needs to be clean. She’s a lady, after all. – Oh, now he was throwing his own words at his own face. Tooru had insisted Éclair “was a lady and deserves only the best, seriously, Hajime, when did you get so possessive ?” when he had refused to let her sleep in their bed that first night as she had been dirty. But to use such low tricks…

\- Fine. But you better get a towel. I am not doing it alone. – He didn’t wait for a response. Turning to the shelf, he carefully picked Éclair up, managing to avoid her claws, and gently placed her in the sink. She looked around gingerly and he used the moment of peace to escape safely out of the tub. Okay, there went nothing.

It was bad. It was unpleasant. His hands hadn’t hurt that badly since that one time he got pissed at Kageyama back in middle school and practiced his serves too much. The only difference was that this time there was blood. Lots, lots of it. Up his fingers and all the way to where his short sleeves ended. He had barely managed to escape with his face intact but it had been worth it. Éclair was sitting on one of the huge pillows on the couch, regal like a queen, her fur pure white and fluffy. Hajime, for all his talk of taking pictures and staying at safe distance, had ended with a few more scratches after the cat, deciding she was done with the fluffy towel, had tried to leave by the shortest route, which, sadly, had included his husband’s uninjured shoulder. 

So now they sat together at the kitchen table, Tooru’s hands burning from the antibiotic and Hajime in a tank top to keep the fabric away from his wounds, and stared at the little villain.

\- She beat us. We were beaten by a cat I can carry in my palm if I tried. – Tooru just nodded. The battle had been humiliating and uneven. The hadn’t stood a chance from the very beginning. Running, scratching and climbing on every possible surface, several basins worth of water all over the floor, a ripped shirt and more blood that any of them had lost in the last decade. 

\- If she wanted to declare the house hers, she could’ve simply claimed the bed one night and we would’ve left her. We would’ve allowed it ! I swear you did not bleed that much when you got in that fight with those drunk guys last month. And they had knives ! And I think my pinky will never be the same again.

\- Stop it. We can simply swear to never try anything like that again. Yes, this sounds like a good plan. What do you think, Éclair?   
She chose that moment to glance at them and blink. Slowly. Taking that for an agreement, Tooru went to dig through the fridge. They deserved a treat. After all, they had lost the war, but at least they were survivors. Unlike his shirt, the loss of which he would mourn deeply the next few days. Now, where was the cheese…

They made an angelic picture. Hajime smiled slightly, choosing a slightly different angle. He had about fifteen photos already, but just in case… Tooru, in his soft striped pajama bottoms, was curled on one side, his feathery dark hair kissing his porcelain cheek. In sleep, with the façade he kept on for some reason in front of most people, he was innocent and pure as snow. The only decoration he wore in bed was his ring and the small dreamcatcher tattoo high enough on his hip to be hidden by volleyball shorts. Or, any kind of shorts, actually. Besides the artist, Hajime knew he was the only other person who had seen the gentle black lines. He felt it was an honour granted, not that he’d ever say it out loud, especially within Tooru’s hearing distance. Never. But the man in bed right now, soft, loose and warm with sleep, and the pure white cloud disguised as a cat in his arms…that was what real art looked like. True, Éclair had scratches, wounds and only one ear, but none of those made her less lovely. Just as the snark, sarcasm and overly sugary sweetness in Tooru’s words did not make him less beautiful. Another thing Hajime would never say. He could be a sap, that was true, but even he had his limits. Taking another picture and deeming it perfect enough for his phone’s new background, he turned off the bright light, leaving the small book-shaped nightlight in the corner on, and slid under the cover to hug his husband. Tooru shuffled a little, murmured something, yawned in his sleep wide enough that at the beginning Hajime had worried he’d do something to his jaw, and settled down, tugging on Hajime’s arm to pull him even closer.

It had been a good day, he decided. A good day, indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading ! 
> 
> Please, let me know in any shape or form if you enjoy it, so I'd know if I am going in the right direction. First time writing fanfiction and all. 
> 
> Thank you !


	5. Of doctors and late nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally time for Eclair's check. And both Oikawa and Iwaizumi was nervous wrecks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there !
> 
> Finally managed to get Suga in there. I am following strictly manga character, BTW, where he's not so much of a pure cinnamon roll, if you know what I mean ;)

Éclair was an angel and Hajime was a ball of nervous energy. And Tooru was not sure how the situation had escalated that much. They were going to the clinic to have her examined and to say his husband was fidgeting on the wheel would be an underestimation. His fingers were clenching and relaxing, every two seconds or so reaching to play with the radio and Tooru was done.

\- Pull over. – Hajime almost jumper in his seat, like he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone. Staring in his wide eyes, Tooru sighed. – I said, pull over ! There is a parking lot over there.

The car slid carefully in front of the super market and the other man exhaled loudly. This was ridiculous. Who could’ve guessed taking their cat to a doctor would stress his husband so much ? Koushi had assured them everything he’d be doing would be routine procedures and if something else came up, he’d ask them first, which had sounded nice on theory but now Hajime was in panic. A week. It had taken him a week to turn the little cat into a princess and bend to her every wish. Not that Tooru was any different, he thought with a twist of his lips. They were both so whipped it wasn’t even funny.

\- Now. You will take her and I will drive. 

\- What ? Why…

\- Because if you keep twitching, we are going to end up in a ditch, best case scenario, and then we will still have to carry her to the hospital because Daichi said Koushi is very busy and will not be able to book her a second time anytime soon. So, get out !

It was a proof of his nerves when Hajime slid out of the car without another word. Well, that was faster than he’d expected. When his own door opened, he carefully handed Éclair and shut the door as quietly as possible. She had been excited when he’d first gotten in the car, trying to climb out of his lap and on the dashboard, but he’d held her and pet her between the ears, and she’d calmed down. Jostling her around and making loud noises would ruin all his work and he was snippy enough not to appreciate that.

After that, getting to the animal hospital was easy. Éclair looked even tinier in Hajime’s lap and he was holding her with the type of reverence he usually kept only for Tooru, when he thought he wasn’t looking. He smiled slightly. They were a pair, weren’t they ? Éclair was used to being carried around, after a week with them Tooru wasn’t even sure if her paws had touched the floor in every room or they’d carried her everywhere. She was calm and quiet under his husband’s jacket and the man in question was as nervous as a father with his baby going to the doctor. Tooru was glad he was good at hiding his emotions behind airy flair and childishness, otherwise they would be a sad picture. Though inside he was also shaking. What if they did something to her ? She was still small and unused to many people touching her…And that’s why they were taking her to the one man they knew would be as careful as he would be with his own child. Koushi was a devil under a saintly visage but had a caring heart that would shelter the world if it could. He would be kind to Éclair. Yes, he would…

The woman behind the reception desk gave them a look when she saw Éclair wasn’t in a pet carrier. It was one of the things they hadn’t thought about until the last moment and it had already been too late when they’d remembered. Koushi was still doing night shifts ( his colleague’s cold had turned out to be a nasty flu and she was still at home ) so they had booked her for a little before midnight. And the night staff was not happy. They had an appointment, though, so he was as calm as possible, and confident.

\- I am sorry but the clinic is open only for emergencies. – She glanced at Éclair again, who, after looking around from under Hajime’s coat, had curled back and the only thing visible was her one ear twitching occasionally. – Is this an emergency ? – It was obviously not an emergency and Tooru narrowed his eyes. That woman was acting like she could read Éclair’s mind and tell she was okay, and they were there to…what ? Look for attention ? He had just spent almost an hour in a small closed space with a twitchy policeman (unarmed, but still) and a sleepy cat whose reactions were still not completely predictable. His face still hurt from a few days ago and there were still ugly yellow bruises visible high on his cheekbone. The teenagers had mouthed him off more than usual and his nerves were stretched to the point of snapping. He was usually a patient man, no matter what he tended to project, but the whole week had been tough.

\- Actually, madam – He made sure to use his most sugary voice, the one Hajime said made him want to cuff him and send him to a solitary cell for a few days for attitude adjustment. Or smother him with a pillow while he slept. Honey dripping from his tongue and eyes sharp like stilletos, Tooru twisted his lips into what he knew was an extremely fake smile that, again, Hajime hated with passion. – we do, in fact, have an appointment.

The woman’s mouth dropped. She collected herself quickly enough, though, and glared back at him.

\- There must be some mistake. We do not take appointments after hours. Sir. – The last word was a direct response to him and he narrowed his eyes. With the corner of his eye he could see Éclair starting to wake and more around. Great. The last thing he wanted was to stress her out.

\- We…

\- Call doctor Sugawara. You won’t even have to use names or descriptions. He is expecting us.

Tooru raised his eyebrows. Hajime somehow managed to appear threatening even while cuddling Éclair, the unmistakable air of law and dominance that had Tooru weak in the knees (and other places) every time. That was so not the right moment to get excited, though, so he just stepped back a little to admire the show. The woman was sputtering something about not bothering their most brilliant vet and who did they think they were ? He almost snorted. True, Koushi was good, no, Koushi was really, really good, but the woman’s words were obviously born out of something else. Did she think she what ? Had a chance with him ? The idea itself was laughable. Middle school sweethearts, Daichi and Koushi had been together for more than ten years and so disgustingly in love the air itself around them shimmered. 

\- I do believe I asked you something, madam. Call doctor Sugawara. We are expected. And please, do it quickly. Éclair is getting more and more distressed, and the last thing I want is for her to go to see the doctor while upset. She hasn’t been with us for long and we still don’t know her well enough. 

The woman seemed almost convinced but Tooru was done. Watching the show was one thing but in was the middle of the night and he was tired. So, with the same fake smile and syrupy tone, he dealt the final blow.

\- Hajime, if the lady does not want to call Koushi, that’s okay. Maybe he’s busy. I mean, I know Daichi told you he’d be free and book us a spot, but, well, the station was busy that day, wasn’t it ? Maybe he heard him wrong ? Come on, you have a night shift tomorrow. You need your rest. Crime never sleeps !

The last part was almost sung and he saw the receptionist’s face fall. He could almost see the cogs in her head turn and note each word, weighting and cataloguing it. Using both Koushi and Daichi’s given names and dropping hints Hajime worked with Daichi at the station ? She was backed into a corner. Three, two, o…

The door opened with a bang. The three of them jumped and Éclair almost got out of Hajime’s arms. He caught her only because of his years of police work and almost got his eye scratched out when she tried to get away. Wrestling an upset cat in the air could never end well and his husband ended with a shiny new red line on his face to match the ones from when he’d tried to give her a bath. She definitely had a temperament.

The man who’d thrown the doors open was staring at them with a small smirk, grey eyes twinkling.

\- There you are ! I was afraid you wouldn’t show up. You’re late, you know.

This was when the receptionist started coughing. Sending her a smug smile, Tooru followed Koushi to his office.

\- Now, let me see her. – Hajime carefully let Éclair step on the table and the vet leaned to her. Being the affectionate little thing she was, they were butting noses in less than a minute. While Tooru was not-so-secretly recording it all. He could trade a favour off of Daichi for that video. Or make millions by posting it online. The silver-haired man, with his beauty mark and delicate features, and the one-eared cat, were just too much for him to handle. A little on the side, Hajime had crossed his arms and was looking at the show with thinly veiled amusement.

\- Okay, she seems social and calm. And she’s a good girl, isn’t she… - He kept cooing at her, while Éclair was basking in the attention. She truly was a princess. – Okay, so Daichi told me you want the full service ? 

\- Yes. – Tooru just nodded. They talked about it and getting her papers, removing any parasites and getting her fixed were all important. Also, vaccines. Koushi glanced at him.

\- Why don’t you, gentlemen, go and get yourselves some coffee ? I will give you direction to the staff machine, beats the one in the lobby every time. It might take some time, so get comfortable. I will come and get you when she’d done. Right, baby girl ? – The last one was directed to Éclair who seemed a little confused seeing them leave but she was not protesting. Tooru felt his heart melt. She was just…

Several cups of coffee, five levels on a mobile game and three magazines later, the door opened and Koushi came out. They were on their feet before he even got in the hallway, but he was smiling, so Tooru felt like he could breathe again. The doctor handed Hajime a pet carrier in soft pastel blue and turned to Tooru.

\- She is a champion. Healthy girl. Still growing, so be prepared. She is still almost a baby, she might be pretty big when she grows up. Especially after we got her fixed. She might be uncomfortable for a day or two, should sleep for a few more hours. Everything went as normal, so no worries.

His smile was soft and gentle, and honest, and they both relaxed. It was all right.

\- Oh, and keep the carrier. You might need it. Now, if you excuse me, I have parrots to feed.

 

This time, Hajime drove all the way. He stopped at a light even though the streets were empty. It was three in the morning and Tooru was asleep on the seat next to him. Éclair was on the back and hadn’t moved but Koushi had told them it was normal so he wasn’t too worried. The good thing was tomorrow (today, actually, he thought after a glance at the glowing clock in the dashboard) they were both at home, a rare occasion of days off overlapping. So, sleep it was. His husband’s carefully styled hair was all over his face, fringe twitching with every breath. The uncomfortable position had made him sleep with his mouth open and judging by the way his head was lolling on one side, the danger of drooling over his own shoulder was getting greater by the second. Hajime had already taken a few pictures, of course, for his private collection of Tooru being a real, messy person, but if he didn’t get them to their bed soon, he’d have more material. Without the masks and costumes he’d been wearing since before they’d met, Tooru was just a soft, sleepy, warm man, with rare smiles and disturbed eyes. But not now. Now, he was just…Drooling over his fine jacket. Hajime pulled over in front of their house and did not feel even a touch of guild for taking another several photos. It was his right, after all. 

He couldn’t resist, though, and blew Tooru’s fringe from his face. The other man twitched, murmured something and tried to move away. Which, considering he was wearing his seatbelt, was not an easy task, but he did his best. More sleepy rumbling. Hajime carefully unbuckled the seatbelt and got out of the car. He took the pet carrier from the back and then opened the other front door. Pulling his husband by the shoulder, he managed to get him to sort of a half-asleep state which was more than enough to get him walking. Juggling the cat and the keys, he somehow succeeded in locking car, unlocking their front door, getting all of them in, locking the door and dragging Tooru to the bedroom. He left him there to get the carrier to Éclair’s little corner and place it on the ground with the door open so she would be free and at a familiar place when she woke up. Finally, he dragged himself back to their bedroom where his husband was snoring lightly on top of the covers. After some maneuvering, he managed to pull the blankets, get Tooru in the right position and take his clothes off at the same time. Pulling him to his chest, he buried his nose in his fluffy hair. Life was good. And warm. And smelt like…he took a deep breath…peaches.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos are greatly appreciated, comments - even more. I am flying a little blind here so any opinion is more than welcome.


	6. Of coffee and surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just because a day starts badly, that doesn't mean it will end the same way. Tooru finds out in the difficult way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long wait, eh ? Sorry. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy it.

Waking up to a set of long, sharp fangs was so not a nice way to start the week. And the only reason Tooru didn’t let out a scream that would’ve been perfect for a ten year old girl was because the heavy weight on his chest froze the air on his lungs. After a terror-filled second, he realised it was just Éclair who had chosen that exact moment to yawn in his face. She was small but he still felt her stretched on his chest, her paws somewhere by his left ear. Wiggling a little, he glanced at the glowing clock on the nightstand. Five minutes before his alarm. That was good. Usually, when Hajime had a night shift, Tooru couldn’t sleep the entire night, felt into some sort of delirious dreams around 5 and woke up with his alarm blaring and a killing headache. But, he reached with his left hand to turn off the alarm, their little fuzzball had woken him up. Yes, she had…

Spending another ten minutes rolling around in the big bed and scratching her belly made his morning just a touch better but it was still Monday. And he hated Mondays. Not only because Hajime had the night shift and when Tooru got home, he was always deep asleep, but because the teens were extra cranky from school. But still. He had to stay positive, smile and try not to shout at kids who were being difficult simply because it was the only way they knew how to get attention. Maybe this Monday would be different. He had to hope.

By ten any patience he had had was long dead. During the day, before the students came, he usually did the managers’ work for the teams and so far he’d had to wrangle donations from upper-class women, remind the hotel they were going to stay during one of the official games that the kids did, in fact, have serious allergies and that long list of restrictions was not a suggestion, and shut his door in the face of a flirty teenager. Seriously, what was she doing there ? Didn’t she have school or something ? 

Organising events usually wasn’t such a pain. True, parents could be difficult, sometimes even more difficult that the teens, and hotels, restaurants and suppliers did mess up occasionally, but this was getting ridiculous. It was a two-day camp. He wasn’t trying to get them to a practice game on a different continent, it was literally the city two hours away. But it was all going wrong. His third cup of coffee for the day was mocking him, sitting empty on a pile of papers and he was one more phone call away from reaching into his emergency candy stash. Trying to eat well even after he wasn’t an official player anymore had been a goal of his. But some days just called for it. He almost reached for the opaque envelope in the bottom of the drawer but stopped himself. Willpower. He had plenty of it.

By half past four, when the first teens were supposed to start arriving, he had managed to compose himself. The long lunch break he’s taken, with the crisp winter sun making the snow shine like miniature diamonds and several huge fluffy dogs wrecking havoc in the park, had almost made him feel like a human again. Also, one of the polar bears masquerading as pets had done its best to take him down and he’d just lied in the pile of snow laughing like an idiot while a young woman had been almost crying and promising to buy him coffee and lunch as an apology. They’d reached a consensus with his counteroffer of just coffee and her three dogs for the last ten minutes of his break. Éclair would probably be upset when he got home, but getting buried under huge, show-covered long haired dogs had made his month and he was still giggling three hour later. Sure, his carefully styled hairstyle had gone down the drain but it had been so worth it.

A door opening in the distance broke him out of his daydreams and the excited chatter that followed was…unexpected. What was even more unexpected, though, was Hajime opening the gym door, followed by a group of almost a dozen teens who all seemed completely starstruck. What was going on ?

\- Officer, hello, what a pleasant surprise. – He didn’t even try for humour since the situation was way too confusing. The chirping from the kids barely slowed down. He felt like he had fallen in an alternative dimension. Those rich, moody teens whose only joy in life was to pretend like nothing excited them and life was boring, they were jumping and begging for Hajime’s attention like puppies. And he was indulging them.

\- Coach. – While everyone knew he was married, almost nobody knew he was involved with the officer who sometimes stopped by to check on the teams or to make sure everything was okay. And, of course, personal life had no place in the gym.

\- Is there a problem…? – Tooru still had no idea why was Hajime around the teens or why he was bringing them in. Or why they were so happy about it.

\- There was a disturbance a couple of blocks away from here. Me and officer Sawamura were just passing by after our break and decided to intervene…

\- They just stood there, coach ! And one of the guys tried to punch Mr Sawamura and he just ducked and this guy spins and trips and falls on his face and…

\- And then Mr Iwaizumi pulls out his handcuffs and the other guy tried to spit or something but Mr Iwaizumi just pushed his face into the wall and…

From the bits and pieces of overexcited chatter Tooru managed to gather that one of his players had been early on the meeting spot and some…men had started to harass him and Hajime and Daichi had arrived just as the rest of the club had seen them. Though whether the thugs had really had knives, chains and multiple facial tattoos, Tooru could not be 100% sure. But the club had definitely seen the officers as heroes and had forgotten, for a moment, to act cool and aloof. They were just kids who had seen something cool and had been allowed to hang around some amazing role models. 

It made Tooru happy to see them so animated. He knew they liked volleyball but the forced apathy made his hesitate sometimes. But this ? This was real. The door closed with a click and Tooru smiled at Daichi who nodded back and went back to listening what a teenage girl was carefully explaining. It was the team’s vice captain’s girlfriend and while her parents weren’t the most engaged people around, they still tried and it showed. Still, to see her talk so much was definitely refreshing.

And…time was flying.

\- Well, officers, while I am eternally grateful you got these troublemakers here on time, practice is about to start.

A chorus of disappointed sighs followed Hajime and Daichi as they left the gym, Hajime just winking at him. Who would have known the practice would turn up so well ? The kids were still excited from seeing two policemen, in their words, overpower half of Yakuza with their bare hands, and the energy was obvious in the air. The hours fled by and Tooru was more than happy. Several of the teens had actually asked to stay and practice some more but with their parents waiting outside, Tooru had been forced to decline. Though, he wondered…

Later, when he got home, Hajime was just finishing the table arrangement for dinner.

\- Look at you, officer. I should have been the one making dinner, what’s with all your help today.  
Hajime just smiled a little in the low light.

\- It was a few bored college kids ganging up on a high schooler.

\- So they didn’t have sniper guns and prison tattoos all over their shaved heads, hmm ? – His husband opened his mouth but Tooru’s smirk stopped the words in his throat.

\- You think it’s funny, don’t you ?

\- Well, a little. But, I was going to ask you, do you think you and some of the guys at the station would be willing to stop by on a day off and play some three-on-three ? If we can’t collect enough people for full teams ?

\- What ?

By some weird twist of fate, more or less the entire police station was full of people who had played volleyball in their high school teams. And they had been good. 

\- The children were so excited to see you and Daichi today. I thought it would really inspire them to see some real people play volleyball. – Hajime blinked.

\- I thought you took them to official games. – Tooru sighed and rubbed his eyes.

\- I do but all they see is athletes who run around. They aren’t exactly real for them. Like celebrities. You, on the other hand, you two made a great impression today. I have to admit, I wish I had seen it. Sounds like it was really…exciting.

Hajime’s wide grin proved he had understood. The food was definitely going to get cold. Oh, well…

 

\- By the way, why is Éclair avoiding you ? – Tooru tried to break the surface of the comforter. Blinking blearily at his husband, he glanced at the chair where their pet was currently sitting and staring at Tooru like he’d offended her. Greatly.

\- Oh, that. Now that’s a funny story…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos, comments and criticisms are, as always, more than welcome.


	7. Of late nights and apologetic tarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shift goes longer than expected and Hajime wonders how to apologise to his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to keep going but I kept getting distracted and it got longer and longer, so I left the next scene in the next chapter. Thank you !

It was in the middle of a long, dragging report that Semi showed at Hajime’s desk. For some reason the seventeen witnesses of the car crash had all seen something different happen so he had to write all their statements down. It was exhausting. The only nice thing was the quiet. Daichi was diligently working on his part of the pile, Ushijima and Bokuto were deep in a report from one of the labs and everyone else was out patrolling. So when a shadow fell on his desk he blinked owlishly at the disturbance. It took him a second to recognise the platinum blond of the head auditor and he smiled. From all the guys in the back of the station, he got along best with Semi. The man had endless patience that, strangely, came with a really, really short fused temper, and, more importantly, knew how to keep his own new assistant in check. Otherwise, the kid would be bouncing off the walls and with Bokuto present that could turn into a nightmare. It was bad enough when said officer managed to end up in the same room as Kuroo, they didn’t need even more distractions. Though, Kuroo’s assistant was nice enough. Not Kenma, whose uncanny ability to just appear, hang around seemingly doing nothing, and leave in the middle of the day, and still do all the consultant work ahead of time and perfectly had the whole station slightly afraid of him, but the new one. Shirabu, who, unless he was mistaken, Semi and Kawanishi were in the middle of…courting. It was weird but who was he to judge ? He was married to Tooru.

\- So, the files. I have good news…and bad news. – Hajime steeled himself.

\- Hit me.

\- Bad news first ? – He nodded. – It will be difficult to hold in court. It all looks legal. The numbers add up perfectly, with just the right amount of mistakes to make them real, the links are clear. Everything is as it should. – That was not good. True, they usually didn’t get fraud since it was not in their jurisdiction, but this case had started with a man going into the main office of the company he’d worked for for two decades and had attacked the people inside. After a surface look Daichi had insisted they dig a little more since something didn’t feel right. Semi had gotten his hands on the computers of the “victim” company and had disappeared in his office for three days.

\- Well, that’s definitely bad. You mentioned good news, though ? 

\- Yes. Kuroo’s out, I guess he had to go and do something on a scene…? Anyway, I showed the results to Kenjiro and he promised to check them out from a different perspective. I think he was talking with Kenma when I passed their office now, they seem to be working together.

He was “Kenjiro” now, wasn’t he ? Hajime just shrugged mentally. They were all adults and it definitely wasn’t his business. Though the fact that Shirabu had managed to get Kenma to talk without prodding and actually engage in conversation had already spread through the station and was building the young programmer a reputation. It was still unclear if that reputation would be good or bad, but it was definitely expanding.

\- So there’s hope ? – Semi nodded. – Good. That’s…good. 

Hajime looked around. It was peaceful enough.

\- Hey, how’s the…

\- Would you and Tooru like to come to dinner ? I think I asked you before ?

Semi was leaning on Hajime’s desk, smiling lightly, and it was so not him, Hajime had to do a double take and check if it wasn’t actually Kawanishi at the station.

\- Sure. Both of us have a day off together on both Monday and Tuesday next week, would that work for you ?

\- Monday sounds perfect. – Semi turned to leave.

\- Hey, can you check and tell Shirabu and Kenma that we need to know at least if there is a chance for something ? Procedures take forever and this one is enough of a mess already.

In response, all he got was a wide smile but it was more than enough. So, they were still going.

\- After you finish dinner, save me a slice of dessert, would you ? – Daichi was leaning on the pile of finished papers.

\- Really ? You ask me to bring you something from someone else’s table ? Where’s your dignity ?

His partner just shrugged.

\- It’s food made by Kawanishi. There is no such thing as “dignity” when it’s involved. – Which was more than true. Before Shirabu had started working at the station, all they had tried from Semi’s boyfriend were mini cupcakes for the auditor’s birthday and whatever bite they managed to steal from his lunch. Now, first with the chocolates and then with the full meals from a couple of days ago, they were getting spoiled. The man was a god with a spoon and everyone knew it.

 

Hajime hated going home late. He knew Tooru would pretend he’d eaten which would be a lie, and then would pretend nothing interesting or stressful happened during his day because he thought Hajime would be exhausted. Which was wrong, he knew it was, because children sometimes were worse than aggressive drunks when it came to headaches. Half an hour before his shift had to end, Shirabu had practically ran in the main office with a stack of papers in his hand, his strange fringe in complete disorder. He and Kenma had found that numbers that should have been random actually followed a complex mathematical model that could be achieved in real life only by the biggest coincidence out there. After he and Daichi had been blinking at the young man for a few seconds, Shirabu had explained, a little impatiently, that it meant there was an almost 100% certainty the figures were fake. Which had lead to Daichi waving at him to keep going. The not-quite-annoyed-but-close-enough sigh he let out was quickly forgotten as he tried to explain the basics of double accounting and that he needed the original computers to be able to try and look for the real information. And Hajime and Daichi had ended spending two hours going through paperwork to find where the computers were and how they could get full access to them. It was late. Which is why he wanted to do something nice for his husband. 

He glanced at his watch. Eight. An idea formed in his head. Would it be…? On one hand, it was a coffee shop…On the other, he remembered Tooru bringing Éclair home and how late it had been. And he had been carrying a bag with a logo he was getting familiar with. It was worth a try. 

Hajime pulled out his phone to look for the address and realised it was only a block away. Now that was luck. A touch of fate. Destiny. And he must have been more tired than he thought if he was getting poetic. The best thing was the website made it clear the café should have been open for another hour. Good.

Navigating through a neighbourhood he remembered from a few days ago when he and Daichi had picked Shirabu up, Hajime found an empty spot and left the car. He took a moment to appreciate the exterior. Silver on dark purple. It looked way too fancy but since he knew firsthand how good everything inside was, the aesthetics didn’t bother him that much. A small bell jungled to announce his entrance and he was surprised to find the chef himself behind the counter.

Kawanishi’s messy blond hair looked worse than usual. He was getting close to Kuroo’s style and it made Hajime fear for the future. If that terrible hairstyle was spreading, he had to do his best to protect himself and Tooru. It was…unnatural in how many directions a short fringe could point at the same time. Unnatural, but strangely fascinating. Like the result of a terrible accident. Hajime counted three cowlicks before the owner of said cowlicks cleared his throat. 

Whatever smooth grace Kawanishi usually exhibited, it was all gone. Hajime had only seem him collected, calm and in complete opposition of Semi, but this, this was new. He didn’t have circles under his eyes, though his darker complexion might have been simply hiding them better. The hair, on the other hand, mixed with his almost closed eyes and a strange slump against the marble made it obvious he was barely holding on his feet.

\- What can I do for you, officer ?

\- Do you happen to have something that says “Sorry I’m late, I know I said I’ll do my best to be home on time today but work went wrong, you shouldn’t have waited for me to eat, etc.” ? – In response, he got a tired smile that almost made the other man look like he usually did.

\- You know this is not a flower shop and there are no secret meanings on different flavours of custard, right ?

\- Oh, come on, really ? – Two tired men trying to joke. He was sure the picture they made was way funnier than the conversation itself. – Not even in the secret baker club ?  
Kawanishi tapped his lip with a fingertip and then ran his hand through his hair. Wow. Six cowlicks. Six. It would be impressive if it wasn’t so terrifying.

\- I guess I can make an exception for an outsider. But just this time. If you promise not to share the secret. Does your better half prefer chocolate or fruit ?

\- Can you mix them ? He’s had a long week. 

\- Sure. I guess we all are going to need some apologetic tarts. – Which brought another unpleasant thought.

\- I don’t think you will. – The other man blinked at him in the middle of folding small boxes in deep maroon and gold. – Yeah, when I left, Semi, Shirabu and Kenma were still in the middle of it and it didn’t seem like they were going to finish soon. I heard Kenma looking for the take out menu of the 24 hour pizza place across from the station. Sorry.

“Sorry” was nowhere close to being enough but it was all he had.

\- It’s fine. He already called. – Kawanishi shrugged. – I am just saving him a few things because he will be starving no matter what. It’s been a terribly long day, that’s all.

The box was tied up with a shiny golden ribbon, the other man’s hands completely steady while making a perfect bow, and he bent down to look for something under the counter.

\- By the way, I’m not sure if Semi told you…

\- You and your partner are coming for dinner on Monday ? – How ? This was the second time he had predicted what Hajime was going to say. The man was a menace and Hajime was starting to worry what would happen when they put him and Tooru within hearing distance of each other. Probably, the world would go in flames. – He mentioned it. Anything I need to be careful with ? 

\- No, not really. No allergies or intolerances. We’ll be fine. If, of course, we manage to survive until then. 

This got him the first real laugh he’d ever heard from Kawanishi. He usually stuck to quiet smiles in various hues when at the station and Hajime thought it was just how he was. But what he heard now was a full snort, followed by giggles. Still quiet but definitely more out there. Also, there was more hair-messing. If it was anyone else, Hajime would already have his phone out to take a photo. It was habit he’d developed from living with Tooru. Not only did his husband tend to do it left and right, but also one needed a sneaky hand to catch Tooru himself in a compromising position. Which usually included food or strange attire choices. Kawanishi, though, he didn’t know him well enough. On the other hand…

The other man didn’t even notice Hajime sliding his phone back in his pocket, he was too busy almost laying down on the counter in a breathless laughter.

\- Really long day ?

\- I’ve been here since 5:30 this morning. And it has been the same in the last two days. I think it’s some modern version of hysteria. 

Hajime’s jaw was hanging open but he couldn’t think about that now. He was too busy processing everything. Glancing at his watch, he confirmed it was twenty past eight. At night.

\- Everything okay ? – It mostly courtesy to ask, but there was a part of him that was honestly curious.

\- Some people quit because I told them they are not entitled to all the food they can eat during a shift for free. Go figure.

That explained the strange posture and air of extreme exhaustion around him. And, maybe the hair. Though Hajime was pretty sure nothing could excuse that.

\- I’ll be going. Thanks for the advice and good luck with the staff.

All he got was a limp wave. When he was almost closing the door behind him, Hajime turned to glance back. The café was empty, the atmosphere was muted by dancing shadows and fairy lights, and Kawanishi stood in the middle of it all with a serene expression, like nothing could make him happier in life than this place. It suited him, this quiet joy. He could see how Semi had lost his head. Or how Shirabu was about to go down. The whole “reading you mind and not giving anything away” seemed too weird for him. Either way, he had his desserts, now all he had to do was wake Tooru up and tell him to free his Monday evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading !
> 
> Comments, critiques and kudos are more than enjoyed, I love them !
> 
> You, guys, are the best !


	8. Of telepathy and angry cats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dinner happens and they all discover they have something in common.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, readers, who bookmark and follow this. I hope it lives up to your expectations. To everyone binging, hi ! Thank you for giving me a chance !

\- So, who’s the artist in the house ? – Tooru was not even trying to be snarky, the house in front of him was simply gorgeous. Pale blue with grey and navy touches, it looked unreal from the tip of the roof all the way down to the garden. He would feel jealous, except for the fact that even if they had something like that, neither he nor Hajime could keep anything more complicated than an orchid alive for more than a week. It was a sad fact they had accepted long time ago. Shifting the box with cupcakes in his arm, he pushed the doorbell and glanced at his husband. The days off had definitely paid off and in some amazing twist of fate the huge case they’d been handed over had ended up in the two departments in the back of the station. Hajime had mentioned a few times how much he pitied the poor souls in the offices who had to spend hours upon hours under piles of paper. Apparently, he considered it a terrible fate.

Tooru had another problem. Not a big one, but it bothered him a little. He’d never met Semi’s partner and wasn’t sure how the man would act. And while he was confident enough in himself there was always the nagging worry when meeting strangers who were important. He’d met Semi a few times when stopping by the station and he’d liked what he’d seen and Hajime spoke of him only with respect. And, of recently, with humour though Tooru wasn’t exactly sure why. 

His thoughts were cut short when the door opened and a tall man smiled slightly at them. Tooru hoped the shock wasn’t too obvious on his face as he recognized, pretty easily, the cashier at the fancy café he’d started to love. A little more casual in a soft sweater and dark jeans, but it was definitely the same person. Huh. The world was small, indeed.

\- What a small world, isn’t it ? – How, the…? – Come in, Eita is just finishing the table.

Toeing his shoes off, Tooru handed over his coat and waited until their host went somewhere to hand them.

\- Hajime ! – His low hiss didn’t appear to surprise his husband. – He…

\- He is the guy from the café ? Yeah.

\- No, that’s not it. He knew what I was thinking ! – And the scariest thing was Hajime didn’t appear surprised. Rubbing his face, he just sighed.

\- He does that. Try not to let it get to you. I’m not sure if it’s on purpose or something but the last thing I want is to offend.

\- Not possible. – This time Hajime jumped. They both did. And the only reason Tooru didn’t shriek was because Éclair had trained him well not to react too hard to surprises. Hajime’s blond colleague was smiling lightly, leaning against the door. Seriously, what was with these two sneaking around like thieves ? – Taichi thinks it’s funny, no matter how many times everyone tells him the opposite.

\- So he really can read minds ? – In response he got an actual snort. 

\- Close enough. He just understands people well. The fact that he stares at them with this weird blank face while doing it definitely does help, too.

\- Must be interesting living with him, then ? – Tooru had regained some of his confidence and their host seemed in a good mood so teasing him a little appeared to be safe enough. And Hajime had been adamant that Semi was a relatively positive person. That proved to be true when the other man laughed, dipping his head a little. He really did have purple in his platinum blond hair. Huh. Not that Tooru wasn’t fussy with his hair, but for a man of such a serious profession to look that way ? His interest was piqued.

\- I made peace with it long before we started living together. Running after someone who seemed to predict every move was a bit complicated. And, - Without even turning around, he reached back and up, carding his fingers through his partner’s darker hair since Kawanishi had chosen that exact moment to return. – it was definitely a long and difficult lesson in using one’s imagination. Trust me, it wasn’t easy.

\- I thought you didn’t want to talk about that. Ever.

\- I don’t. That’s as far as I’d go. Otherwise, I’d start getting nightmarish flashbacks. – Semi shuddered.

It was cute how much they reminded him of…him and Hajime, actually. True, they’d been together since children but the couple in front of them was flirting like they were still courting and dancing around each other. 

\- Well, if you’re done sharing your tragic backstory, we have guests to feed.

 

The food was delightful. Obviously, Taichi’s skills weren’t limited to desserts, though they were as good as always. But the company was been just as pleasant. Tooru learnt Taichi had started with the cooking much later than most people but still managed to get that good, and Eita was the opposite, deciding to become an auditor at the tender age of fourteen. That days off for both of them were a rare treat as the café was currently understaffed and the huge case they’d gotten had ruined everyone’s plans ( a collective snort had been the reaction to that ). Tooru, on the other hand, talked about the teams and how excited the children could be as opposed to their parents, and how coaching often felt more rewarding than being on the national team.

Eita smiled at that, poking at his partner who just rolled his eyes in response.

\- We watched that live, you know. It was amazing.

\- You like volleyball ? – Taichi smiled.

\- Eita used to be a setter. A really good one, I’m sad I never got to play with him when he was in his prime.

\- You played, too ? – So Tooru had been more than right. Not only everyone at the station, but also everyone around them, had been involved with volleyball.

\- I was a middle blocker. We still play occasionally, but nothing too serious.

\- So, I was thinking… - He glanced at Hajime who knew exactly what he was going to ask. – Would the two of you be willing to come for a few friendly games at the sport centre ? I think it will be good for the kids to watch. And, maybe, try.

They didn’t even look at each other. Taichi nibbled on a piece of carrot while Eita leaned back.

\- If we manage to find a time when we are all free, we’d love to do it. – That was some next level telepathy. Obviously, the mind-reading rubbed off, just like gestures and expressions. – And I think…

\- We can get Kenjiro as a setter, too. – The table lapsed in silence. Who was Kenjiro and why was Eita blinking is such a way ?

\- He used to play ?

Taichi just hummed. After a few more seconds of wordless communicating, where Tooru was sure volumes upon volumes were said and discussed, Eita just smiled. Widely. The man definitely could show a lot of teeth when he put his mind to it. It was kind of impressive. His partner was a little more subtle, leaning back with a serene expression that still managed to look predatory. There was a whole story behind this and Tooru really wanted to dig around and poke at it, curiousity raising its head.

\- Well, I think it’s time for us to head back home. – Hajime’s voice almost made him jump in his seat.

It was late, Tooru realised. Really late. True, he had the Tuesday off, but still. Time had passed way too quickly. The company had been pleasant and he hadn’t even noticed the clock.

\- Thank you for inviting us. – Eita rose from his chair and led them to the hallway while Taichi disappeared, probably to get their coats.

\- Thank you for coming. We haven’t been really social recently, what’s with all the work that piled up.  
Tooru laughed.

\- I think it’s just what being an adult means. – Eita gave an overdramatic shake of his head and snorted again.

\- I hope not. In a few days, maybe a week, it will all calm down, but until then – He scratched his nape. – Until then, it will be tough.

Taichi arrived with their coats and more pleasantries, and they waved while getting in the car. Tooru threw one last glance at the house, seeing Eita smiling lightly while his partner was leaning on his back. They appeared to be talking softly and it was such a cute picture Tooru almost pulled out his phone to save it for the generations. Aw, to be young again.

\- Semi is as old as us and his partner is only a year younger.

\- Is the mind reading rubbing off on you, too ?

Hajime just smiled while glancing at the rearview mirror.

\- Nah, I’ve just known you forever. Can’t hide much from me. I admit it was nice, though.

\- It was. – One thing had been bugging him and he just had to ask. – Okay, who, the hell, is…

\- Kenjiro ? – Again with the telepathy. But Tooru just nodded. Curiousity was stronger than anything. – It’s Kuroo, you know Kuroo, right ? It’s his new assistant. Not his   
consultant, but this new kid who started recently. Straight out of school. 

\- So why is it such a big deal ? – Hajime chewed his lip, clearly debating what to say.

\- I think they are courting him. It’s fun to watch but Semi’s concerned about rumours and what they can do to Shirabu’s reputation. – Wait, Shirabu ? That rung a bell.

\- Isn’t that that newbie who managed to piss off Kuroo on his first day ? I met him, remember ? And here I thought teens were the most interesting age group. Apparently, nothing beats office drama.

 

At home, Éclair gave them a rather condescending look from where she was perched on one of the pillows they’d put for her on high places, this time from the fridge.

\- I know it’s late, little fluffball, but we’re here. – Tooru reached up and she stood, backing away from his hand. – Here, kitty, kitty, let me hug you, let me adore you…

And she was so not in the mood, she jumped from the fridge and patted to the bedroom. The betrayal. The audacity. How dared she…Obviously, his feeling showed on his face since Hajime, who’d just left the bathroom, gave him a funny look. And then tried to pull up his pajama pants while still wearing his towel. It was too late for higher brain functions. The tiredness just hit him without a warning and he swayed on his feel towards the warm bathroom, not even stopping to do much more than to spare a look at Hajime’s glorious thighs. Why was he so tired ? Not really important.

What felt like hours later, he put some advanced logistics, mixed with theoretical physics and advanced calculus to slide in bed between Hajime and Éclair, who had stolen his side, without waking them up. Finding the best position, with his chest towards his husband, he moved a little more to settle down. Said husband didn’t even wake up, though he reacted to the pokes and jabs by sliding a warm hand down Tooru’s shoulder, by his fingers and all the way to the small of his back. And then pulled, hard, slotting them perfectly to each other like a puzzle.

A warm and sleepy man on his front. Life didn’t get much better than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, kudos and critiques are, as always, more than welcome. Hit me !

**Author's Note:**

> Please, comment if you'd like to see more ! 
> 
> Thanks again !


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